Stray Hunter
by Nik Strata
Summary: "There's no need for complacency here. This world may be beautiful, but it's also cruel. Knowing this, how can I, a lowly slave, find such accord?" —Nora Hattori. [Eren/OC1] [Mikasa/OC2] {Follows anime}
1. 第１章

**To You, in 2000 Years**

 _The Fall of Shiganshina, Part 1_

* * *

Nora's eyes slowly opened, seeing Mikasa's blurry figure standing over her. Her dark hair that matched Nora's perfectly in color was blowing around in the light breeze that made Nora feel cold. Mikasa seemed to notice, and took off her scarf, handing it to her silently. Nora nodded in thanks as they turned their attention to the brown-haired boy sleeping next to her.

His teal-green eyes opened wide as he suddenly woke. "Huh? Nora…" he says, sounding half-asleep, "Mikasa…"

"We should be getting back." Mikasa tells him as she pulls Nora to her feet.

"What are we doing here?" asks Eren.

"You were _that_ deep asleep that you're still only half-awake?"

"No…" Eren shakes his head, sitting up. "It just feels like I had this _really_ long dream or something… What was it about? I can't remember…" he turns his gaze to Nora.

Her dark eyes met his. "Eren," she murmurs, almost inaudibly, "why are you crying?"

"Huh?" he reached a hand toward his eye. He shook his head, getting his firewood and following Nora and Mikasa as they walked back to Shiganshina, firewood on their backs.

* * *

"Don't you dare tell anyone I was crying," Eren says as he, Mikasa, and Nora walk back into the gate.

"We won't," Mikasa promises. "Still, crying for no real reason… You should have your dad give you a checkup."

"Don't be stupid! I can't tell him!"

"What are you cryin' about, Eren?" calls Hannes, one of the members of the Garrison.

"Mr. Hannes…" Eren murmurs as he steps to them.

"Did they get on your case about somethin'?" Hannes asks with a slight red flush on his cheeks.

"Huh?! What makes you think I was crying?!" Eren exclaims before reeling away from the blond-haired man. "Whoa, you reek of alcohol!"

Nora looked behind him, becoming disappointed when she saw the other members of the Garrison with alcohol, laughing and not watching for titans. She hands Mikasa her scarf.

"You're drinking again…" Eren points out.

"You guys wanna join in?" questions Hannes, tilting to get a better view of them.

"Actually, uh… Don't you have work?" Eren looked up at him.

"Yep!" Hannes puts his left hand on his heart. "We're guardin' the gate today! We're stuck here all day, so we end up getting hungry and thirsty. If some booze happens to get into our drinks, so what? It's no big deal,"

Nora could see Eren quivering. "What if something happens?! Can you fight like that?!"

Hannes seemed to sober slightly. "Whaddya mean, 'If something happens?'"

"You know what I mean!" Eren yells. "I'm talking about if _they_ break the walls and get into the city!"

"Oww…" Hannes whines, rubbing at his head. "Geez, Eren. Don't go yellin' like that."

Hugo, another member of the Garrison, stepped toward them. "You've got spunk, doctor's son," he sets his hands on his hips. "If they _do_ bust down the walls, we'll take care of business, don't you worry. But that ain't happened once in the last one hundred years," he let out a slight laugh.

Hugo was slightly larger than Hannes was and had slicked-back brown hair. They both wore the Garrison uniform with a gray shirt under it. Hugo was slightly shorter than Hannes was, and not as well built, though they didn't seem to notice or care.

"Still, my dad says there's nothing more dangerous than being complacent like that!"

"Dr. Yeager, huh?" Hannes puts a hand on his hip in thought. "Yeah, he's got a point. He once saved this town from an epidemic. I can't argue with him. Still, they're another story altogether." He turned to look at the busy townspeople who seemed quite complacent with themselves as they went about their daily lives.

Nora couldn't help but feel slightly jealous of them. They didn't see the world for what it was. They were simply blind sheep who didn't bother to listen to the shepherd's call even if it meant they could die. She turned back to Hannes.

"When you're a soldier, you get to see those things roaming around outside while you're on reinforcement duty and stuff. These walls are fifty meters tall, though. I can't see 'em getting through."

"Then… you're not actually prepared to fight them at all?!" Eren inquires, getting angry again.

"Nope!" replies Hannes, almost cheerily.

"Wh-what?! Then drop the 'Garrison Regiment' name for 'Wall Construction Squad' instead!" Eren exclaims.

"Not a bad idea!" Hannes laughs. "But, you gotta understand, Eren. If a soldier's doing his job, things have seriously gone to hell. It's better when everyone's calling us useless freeloaders; it means peaceful times for us all," he glanced back to the busy citizens again.

"Sure, we _can_ stay inside the walls our entire lives and do nothing but eat and sleep! But… that basically… That basically makes us cattle!"

Nora glared at the guards who began to laugh at Eren's claim.

"Man, you're one plucky kid, all right!" one says.

"For someone who's totally helpless! Right, Hannes!" the other manages.

Hannes reluctantly agrees as Nora walks further inside the gate, pulling Mikasa and Eren with her. They ignored the Garrison Regiment's members as they called for them to come back.

* * *

They were silent as they walked back to Eren and Mikasa's house. They were almost there when Mikasa broke the silence. "Eren, Nora," she says, "I'd forget about the Scout Regiment if I were either of you."

"What?! You think the Scout Regiment is a joke too?!" Eren asks turning to her.

"It's not about what I think…" before she could continue, the bell rang, signaling the return of the Scout Regiment from their latest expedition outside the walls.

Eren and Nora looked at each other. "The Scout Regiment is back!" Eren proclaims. "They're gonna open the front gate!" he turned to Nora, grabbing her hand. "Let's go see the heroes return, Nora!"

Nora gasped as he pulled her along, grabbing onto Mikasa's arm to keep from falling. They ran all the way to the front of the city, seeing people lined across the streets of Shiganshina silently and mournfully watching as the Scout Regiment walked through.

"Damn! I can't see!" exclaims Eren as he jumps to try to see the soldiers.

He noticed a few boxes and pulled Nora along with him. Mikasa followed close behind, stepping on the slightly shorter box. They made sure Nora was in front of them as she was shorter than they were.

Eren beamed, seeing the soldiers in slightly bloodstained, green capes on horseback. One of them, a blond-haired man, glanced at them before quickly looking away. Eren's smile faltered. He looked toward the gate with a gasp.

The soldiers seemed to be only barely alive, hanging on to each other for support. They walked with their heads down, many of them covered in bandages. They all looked very depressed.

"They're the only ones who made it back?" wondered a man in front of them.

"Everyone else must've gotten eaten. This is what they get for going outside the walls," replied another.

"Moses! Moses!" an elderly woman stepped from the crowd of people, calling out to her son. She stopped the soldiers. "Excuse me… I don't see my son, Moses, anywhere… Do you know where he is?"

She gently placed her hands on one of the soldier's capes. "This is Moses' mother," the soldier says, turning to one with a bandaged eye. "Go get it."

The woman stepped back, eyes wide. The soldier placed a wrapped bundle in her arms. She hastily untied the bloodied bundle, cringing as she saw her son's severed arm. She started crying.

"It's all we could retrieve," the soldier says in a slight monotone.

The woman fell to her knees, cradling the wrapped arm, still crying.

Eren's eyes widened. Nora sucked in a breath as similar memories came to her mind. To keep herself from causing some sort of scene, she quickly banished the thoughts to the back of her mind.

"But… my son…" the woman says, "He was helpful, yes? Even if he didn't achieve direct greatness… surely my son's death helped humanity fight back, yes?!" the woman yells.

A strong breeze blew through the town.

Appalled, the soldier quickly answered; "Of course…" he paused. "No… On this latest scouting mission, we… No… Just like all the other missions…" the soldier closed his eyes tightly, "we achieved nothing at all! My incompetence has done nothing but needlessly send soldiers to their deaths! We haven't found _anything_ about them!" he bellowed in regret, tears streaming down his face.

Nora's dark eyes widened slightly as everything quieted. The elderly woman sat in shock for a moment before allowing the soldiers to get past her. They traveled silently once again, no one stopping them this time.

"Talk about gruesome," said one of the men from earlier.

"You can say that again," replies the other. "Our taxes are basically going to feeding and fattening those things up now," he says, leaning against a wall.

Nora watched as Eren took a stick from his firewood, hitting the man on the head with it.

"What the hell, you little punk!" the balding man yells.

He starts for Eren, forcing Nora to punch him in the gut, a glare on her face that only served to make her cuter than she already was. The man doubled over, coughing and gripping his large stomach as he glared at her, murmuring curses under his breath.

Eren tossed Nora a small smile. Despite her small stature, Nora could've easily knocked this man out, even with him towering over her. Before either of them could strike the man again, Eren grabbed Nora as he felt someone pulled him back into a small alleyway.

"H-Hey! What are you doing, Mikasa?!" he called as she dragged them away.

The balding man rounded the corner, calling after them.

Eren let go of Nora's wrist, attempting to get Mikasa to let him go. "Mikasa, enough already!"

Mikasa threw him against the wall of a nearby house, causing his firewood to spill. "What's the big deal?!" he questioned. "Now the firewood's all over the place!"

She turned to Nora. "Nora, have you and Eren changed your mind about joining the Scout Regiment?"

When Nora didn't answer, helping Eren pick up his firewood before adjusting hers to be comfortable, Mikasa turned to Eren, asking him the same.

He gasped, his teal-green eyes growing wide. "Help pick this up," he says, avoiding her question.

"It's not _that_ bad of a mess," Mikasa says, picking up the last little bit and handing it to him.

* * *

Nora steadily followed Mikasa and Eren to their home. Unlike Mikasa, Nora didn't live with Eren, but often found herself at his home. She wasn't sure why, but she found serenity when she was with them, especially around Eren.

 _There's no need for complacency. This world may be beautiful, but it's also cruel. Knowing this, how can I, a lowly slave, find such accord?_

"We're home," she hears Eren say as they step into the house.

Eren's mother, Carla, turns to them with a smile. "Welcome home," she says. She noticed Nora was with them and smiled even more. "I see you've brought Nora with you."

Eren looked away from his mother, a slight red tint on his face. He emptied his firewood into a small wooden box before taking Mikasa's and Nora's and adding theirs with it.

"Wow, Eren! You actually worked hard!" exclaims his mother, stepping to him and bending slightly to his level.

"Yeah…" Eren agrees, not meeting her gaze.

She pulled at his ear, earning a sour look. "What do you want?" Eren asks.

"Your ear's red. That shows you're lying. You had the girls help you, didn't you?"

Grisha, Eren's father, began to pack his things as the rest of them sat down to eat.

"Oh? You're leaving, Dad?" asks Eren, taking a bite of his meal.

"Yes. Some checkups in the interior. It'll take a couple days," Grisha said as he finished packing.

Mikasa glimpsed to Nora and Eren, a small, almost invisible smile on her lips at the sight of them together. The smile disappeared as she remembered what they wanted to do. "Eren and Nora want to join the Scout Regiment," she says somberly.

Carla pauses in her work, turning to them, a shocked, somewhat betrayed look on her face. Grisha freezes slightly.

"M-Mikasa! I told you not to say anything!" Eren exclaims, his eyebrows furrowing more than usual in his anger.

"Eren! Nora! What are you two thinking?!" Carla questions, setting a hand on their shoulders, "Do you have any idea how many people have died outside the walls?!"

As expected, Nora didn't answer, casting her gaze to the wooden floor.

Eren, however, did. "Y-Yeah, we know…"

"Then…"

Grisha stepped in. "Eren, Nora. Why do you want to go out there?" he turned to them.

"I want to know what the outside world is like! I don't want to live my entire life in ignorance inside the walls! Plus… If no one is willing to take their place, then the lives of all who've died will be for nothing!" Eren answers.

"And you, Nora?"

She nodded toward Eren, refusing to speak.

"I see," murmurs Grisha, standing. "My boat's about to leave. I better get going."

Carla tried to get her husband to talk sense into them before he had to leave.

"Carla," he turned back to her tilting his fedora as he met her gaze at the doorway, "words can't hold back human curiosity." He turned to Eren, who stood from the table, joining Mikasa and Nora. "When I get back, I'll show you the basement that I've kept secret all this time," he pulls a key on a string from underneath his shirt.

Eren smiles brightly. "R-Really?!"

Grisha nods, taking his leave.

Carla, Eren, and Mikasa see him off. Nora pushed her bangs out of her eyes, attempting to pin them to her left side with the small, white butterfly barrette given to her by Eren. Carla noticed, letting out a small laugh before helping her.

Nora nodded in thanks before noticing Mikasa run off after Eren. She mentally sighed, running after them, down the alleyway. She quickly caught up to them, seeing the two racing to Armin, who was failing to deal with some boys who usually picked on him. She glared at them, picking up her pace.

The boys, who were already fearful from the sight of Mikasa, ran faster after seeing Nora swiftly making her way to them. "Screw this! Let's get outta here!" they bellowed.

"One look at me and they ran off!" Eren cheers in excitement.

"No, it was Mikasa and Nora they saw…" Armin says. He tried to stand only to fall again with a small cry of pain.

"Hey! You okay, Armin?" asks Eren as they moved to check on him.

Armin stared at Eren's out-stretched hand, tears forming in his blue eyes. "I can get up on my own," he says, slowly standing, not meeting any of their gazes.

* * *

By the time Armin finished talking about what the bullies had done to him, the sun was beginning to set, the sky becoming a mixture of blue and gold with a hint of white. "I said humanity needs to venture outside the walls at some point and they beat me up and called me a heretic," he explains.

Eren swore before throwing a stone into the river they'd walked to earlier. "Why does everyone look down on people just for wanting to go outside?!"

"Well, because we've had a hundred years of peace by staying inside the walls," Armin replies, crossing his arms over his knees. "They're worried that going outside carelessly will invite them inside the walls. The royal government's policies have made having any interest in the outside world a taboo."

"It's _our_ lives! We can risk 'em if we want, right Nora?!" Eren turned to the oriental girl, who sat beside Mikasa, a few steps down from them.

Before Nora could do anything to reply, Mikasa answered, "Absolutely not. Forget about it," the girls turned to Eren and Armin, slightly bleak expressions on their faces.

"Which reminds me, I can't believe you told my parents!" Eren says.

"Huh?" inquires Armin, looking toward Eren.

"I never agreed to help," Mikasa said, turning away.

"So, what did they say?" asks Armin with a slight smile.

"They're… less than pleased," Eren says.

"It figures," Armin looked to the river in front of them. "Indeed, I think people are crazy if they ever think we'll be safe inside these walls forever."

Nora looked around, taking in all of her surroundings that she could. The wind picked up, blowing her shoulder length hair off her shoulders and behind her back. She saw kids playing games and having fun, smiles on every face. Armin's words registered in her mind.

"Just because the walls haven't fallen for a hundred years, doesn't guarantee they won't fall today… And yet…" he trailed off.

Nora looked over to her friends as everything steadily silenced, the only sound being the wind as it blew loose leaves across the stone sidewalks of Shiganshina. Suddenly, the sky turned dark as a bright bolt of lightning struck just outside the wall. Her dark eyes widened slightly as her body left the ground, landing beside Mikasa.

She ignored her pain, getting off the ground, rushing to the sound of the explosion.

Ignoring her friends calling after her, Nora stopped suddenly, almost quaking in fear.

"Hey, Nora! Armin! What is it?! What do you see?!" Eren asked, catching up to them. He looked to the wall, gasping.

A large, steaming hand without skin covered part of the wall. No one moved as they all stared at it in shock.

"It can't be," Armin murmurs as the hand tightened its grip. "Th-That wall… is fifty meters high!"

"It's one of them…" Eren manages as a large, muscled head appears from behind the wall, "A Titan!"

Nora's mind went blank as her pulse spiked. The wall exploded near the gate, sending bits of it flying as the Titan kicked the wall. Large chunks of it fell from the sky, landing on buildings and most likely people.

She shook her head as she realized they were only a few meters away from dying.

"I-It… opened a hole in the wall…" Armin says in shock, having fallen onto his knees.

Seeing a Titan coming through the hole in the wall, the citizens began to run, screaming.

"We need to run too!" Armin takes a step back. His eyes widened. "Eren!" he called.

Eren was going against the crowd, walking toward his house. "My house is in that direction!" he calls back. "Mom…" he pushed past everyone in his way.

Eren, Mikasa, and Nora ran to his house, attempting to ignore all the horror, blood, and bodies they saw. _It_ couldn't _have hit our home! Just around the corner… our house is standing there, like always!_ As they rounded the corner, Eren gasped, running faster. "Mom!" he bellowed, "Mom!"

Their house fell on the lower half of her body. They reached her, beginning to attempt to pull the house off her. "Eren!" she cries.

"Mikasa, Nora, pull that end! We gotta move this pillar!" Eren exclaims as they begin to try to pull the house's roof up.

The loud sound of stomping feet caught their attention. They turned to the sound with gasps at seeing Titans slowly walking by.

Eren snapped out of his astounded state. "Hurry!" he called, beginning to pull the house again.

"We know!" Mikasa calls back.

"The Titans have gotten inside, haven't they?" Carla asks with her brown eyes wide. She turned to her son, as much she was able. "Eren! Take Mikasa and Nora and run away! Hurry!"

"I want to! So hurry and get out of there!" Eren yells, part of the pillar nearly slipping from his hands.

"The debris has crushed my legs… Even if I could get out, I wouldn't be able to run. You understand what that means."

"I'll carry you, then!"

"Why don't you ever listen to your mother?! You can at least do this one last thing! Mikasa!" she yells, tears brimming in her eyes.

Mikasa tried to pull harder, tears in her gray eyes. She lowered her head for a moment before trying once again to pull the house off her foster mother.

Nora ignored the stomping footsteps of the Titans, using all her strength to pull on the house. _I can't let her die! Not after all she and Eren, Grisha, and Mikasa have done for me!_

"No… No... If you don't go, all four of us will..." Hannes interrupted Carla, using his gear to get to them, "Hannes!"

He ran to them, taking in the situation.

"Take the children and get out of here!" Carla demands.

He gave a slight smile. "Don't go underestimatin' me, Carla. I'm gonna slay these Titans and save all four of ya!" he exclaims, running off.

"Wait! Don't fight them!"

Hannes ignored her cries. He ran at the nearest Titan he saw. Seeing its smiling face, Hannes froze for a moment. Suddenly he sheathed his blades, running back to them. Nora let out a gasp, feeling him pick her, Mikasa, and Eren up, carrying them away.

"Hey! Mr. Hannes! What are you doing?! Hey!" Eren wailed, struggling to get from his grip. He reached out to his mother. "Mom's still…"

"Eren! Mikasa! Nora! You have to survive!" Carla called to them.

Nora's eyes widened slightly, seeing the Titan that scared Hannes standing over Eren's house. It ripped off the roof, grabbing Carla with both hands.

"Stop!" screeched Eren, tears flowing from his teal-green eyes.

The world seemed to slow down as they couldn't do anything but watch as the Smiling Titan broke Carla's spine before biting her, spraying blood everywhere. Nora felt tears in her eyes. _Carla's… gone…_

* * *

 **[A/N]** If anyone is wondering what Nora look like, I have a picture of her on on the Quotev version in the footer. I would put a link, but those don't work on here... Sadly.

In addition to that, I would like to mention the fact that Nora is oriental (Asian) and her name means "stray" in Japanese. If you use Google Translate, paste this into the box-thingy: のら. It _should_ translate as 'stray,' even though that's not how you write her name. If you go with the manga, Isayama Hajime (Hajime Isayama) would most likely write her name like this (in the Japanese version, at least): ノラ・ハットリ (Nora Hattori).

This story/fanfic follows the story line of the anime instead of the manga because I bought the anime from iTunes, and it's easier to access for me.


	2. 第２章

**That Day**

 _The Fall of Shiganshina, Part 2_

* * *

 _Over a century ago, beings that prey on humans suddenly appeared. Their absolutely overwhelming strength quickly pushed humanity to the brink of extinction. The surviving humans built three walls: Maria, Rose, and Sina, which bought them a century of peace. However…_

* * *

Eren froze in shock at seeing his mother die.

He barely registered the fact that Hannes was still carrying them away from her. Away from the Titans. He gasped, turning toward Hannes, hitting him on the back of the head, stopping his running.

"Eren! What are you doing?!" questions Hannes.

"We were so close to saving Mom!" shouts Eren. "Why couldn't you mind your own business?!" he raises his arm, hitting Hannes with his elbow. "We were so close to saving her!"

"Knock it off, dammit!" barks Hannes, throwing Eren to the ground from his place on Hannes' shoulder.

Nora and Mikasa managed to get out of Hannes' grip, running to Eren.

"Eren," says Hannes calmly, stepping toward the trio. "You couldn't save your mother because you lacked the strength."

Eren growls, attempting to punch the blond man. His fist didn't reach its target, stopped only by Hannes' hand on his wrist.

"And I… I couldn't stand up to the Titan…" Hannes looked to Eren, tears streaming down his face, "because I lacked the courage!"

Eren stopped struggling as tears began gliding from his teal-green eyes.

Hannes stood, walking to Mikasa and Nora. "I'm sorry," he says, pulling Eren along with him.

He slowly led them out of the city, knowing that the Titans still focused on getting the citizens who were still closer to the gate.

* * *

Armin stood, looking toward the docks for his friends.

"Sit, Armin," his grandfather commands, glancing to his grandson.

"But they still aren't here," argues Armin, turning back the docks, seeing his friends. "There they are!" he says, somewhat cheerily. He almost waved them over, stopping only when he saw the dreary looks on their faces. "Eren?"

"Just let him be for now. The poor thing. How very traumatized he must be…" his grandfather mumbled.

"Huh?" asks Armin, not receiving an answer.

* * *

Mikasa watched as soldiers lifted the boarding strip away from the boat, not allowing any more passengers onto it.

People outside the boat rioted. She didn't particularly care about what they said, or how they handled it. All she cared about was the fact that Nora, Eren, and Armin were safe, and on the boat with her.

In unison, Nora and Eren looked to the wall, hearing the pounding footsteps from behind it. Mikasa soon joined them, seeing a large, fifteen-meter Titan barreling through Wall Maria.

The boat kept moving as though nothing happened. Several of the others on the boat muttered to themselves, all saying humanity was going to die.

Out of the corner of her eye, Mikasa saw Eren stand, clenching his fist. She looked to Nora, who seemed to want to fold in on herself. She gently tapped her on the shoulder, pointing to Eren and Armin. Nora nodded slowly standing to join them.

"I'm... going to…" Eren whispered, walking to boat's edge.

"Eren," Mikasa lightly calls.

"What's gotten into you, Eren?" quarries Armin, putting a hand on Eren's shoulder.

Eren pushed past him, scoffing.

"Eren…" murmurs Armin.

"...drive them out!" declares Eren with a glare. "I'm going to drive out… every last one from this world!"

* * *

 _That same year, the central government made the decision to withdraw all of humanity's domain behind Wall Rose. An estimated ten thousand people were eaten by Titans during this time._

* * *

Nora awoke to the sound of bells ringing.

A few moments later, Eren's breathing picked up as sweat started to coat his tan skin. Nora put two fingers to the side of his neck, feeling his pulse pounding against her fingertips. _Eren? Just what is it that you're dreaming?_

He abruptly woke, his eyes wide. He gasped, taking in as much air as his lungs would allow.

"Eren. Nora." she vaguely heard Mikasa say, "Are you okay?"

Nora nodded, messing with her now chin-length black hair. She still wasn't used to it being so short. She combed it out with her fingers, looking around.

"Eren, you were having a nightmare."

"I feel like I just saw Dad…" mutters Eren, placing a hand on his head.

"No. You were dreaming."

"Oh…"

"Let's go," Mikasa grabbed Nora's hand, gently pulling her up from the hard stone ground before turning back to Eren. "They said they're going to hand out food."

Eren nodded, putting his father's basement key back under his shirt and following the oriental girls.

"Apparently this was their food storehouse. They've gathered all the boat refugees here."

Nora blocked the blinding sunlight with her small hand. She looked around, seeing many different people standing in a line, waiting to get their rations. _This is terrible. It's all those damned Titans' fault. If they hadn't managed to get through Wall Maria, the situation wouldn't be nearly as bad!_

"I ain't eaten anything since last night!" a refugee shouted to another.

"We can't say we've survived just yet." Mikasa says.

"Eren! Nora! Mikasa!" a familiar voice calls.

Nora quickly turned to Armin, who ran to them panting, four small loaves of bread in his arms.

"Here! Just in time!" he says with a slight smile. "My grandpa got us some by saying it was for children!" he handed them each a loaf.

Nora nodded in thanks. Her gaze flicked a soldier, a member of the Garrison Regiment, who scoffed at them. Her gaze darkened. She started for the man, stopped only by Mikasa, who wrapped an arm around her, keeping her from him.

"What's his problem?" she barely heard Eren ask.

"You can't blame him. There's probably not enough food to go around," Armin looked to the loaf of bread in his hand, "And that's an entire day's worth. There are just too many refugees. There was already a food shortage going on, plus the people here aren't treated as well as citizens on the outer wall."

Nora calmed herself, clenching her fists and taking a deep breath.

"Why should we hafta give _our_ food to some lousy outsiders?" she heard one soldier ask. "If the Titans got through the wall, they could've at least eaten some more people, if you ask me!"

 _That's the soldier from before!_

She glared at him again, this time not letting Mikasa stop her. Eren was at her side.

"This is just gonna make the food shortage even worse," the soldier continued.

Eren kicked him in the shin, Nora following with a punch to his stomach. He cried out in pain before raising his fist. "What the hell?! You damn kids!"

Nora caught his fist before it hit either of them, squeezing it as tight as she could. She focused so hard on the first soldier that she didn't see the one next to them as he kicked her to the ground, going after Eren next.

He landed next to her, making sure not to land on her.

"You don't know what it's like!" Eren yelled. "You've never even seen it!"

The soldiers paused for a second.

"You've never seen what the Titans do to people!"

"Shut up!" the first soldier bellowed, starting for them again.

Armin quickly intervened. "I apologize! He's just hungry, and she's irritable! That's why they so rudely lashed out at an adult… I'm very sorry!"

Mikasa stepped to them, checking Nora over before moving to Eren.

Nora saw Armin bow to the soldiers, almost causing her to scowl. The soldier looked around, seeing that they were causing quite the scene.

"Man… It's 'cause of _us_ that you guys aren't starving to death, you know! Even you kids oughta be thankful to us!" he grumbles, stalking away.

"Of course!"

"Damn…" Eren says, absentmindedly gripping Nora's small hand in his somewhat larger one. "I refuse to let _them_ take care of me."

* * *

After getting Nora and Eren back to the old food storehouse, Mikasa decided to keep a slightly closer watch on them. She knew Nora was temperamental, she just didn't realize it was like this.

"I'm going back." says Eren. "To Wall Maria! I'm going to destroy every last Titan!"

"Eren…" prods Armin gently. "You're not being serious, are you?"

"I'm serious!" he exclaims, jumping from the stone railing. "I'm not like those guys who do nothing but act tough inside the walls!" he picked up his bread, throwing it away from him. "I don't need this crap!"

The loaf hit Armin's shoulder. He barely managed to catch it. "Eren! You'll starve to death!"

"Doesn't it bother you at all?! It's because we take everyone's charity that we can't beat the Titans!"

"It's impossible! There _is_ no beating them! All we can do is live inside the walls! If we try anything, we'll die! Just like my mom and dad!"

Nora's eyes widened slightly. _He usually never brings them up… He must be getting angry._

"So you're just gonna grovel to them then?! That's not shameful to you?!" Eren shouts.

"There's… There's nothing we can do for now!" Armin yells.

"That's just an excuse! If you wanna live like livestock forever, go ahead! You wimp!"

Armin's blue eyes widened.

Mikasa, who could no longer stand to hear them arguing, reeled back, punching Eren in the face with so much force that he fell to the ground.

"Mikasa…" says Armin in shock.

"If Armin's a wimp, then so are we. Whether it was running from the Titans or fleeing the town, we didn't manage anything on our own. We even had help finding food today. There's no way such powerless people can defeat even a single one of those Titans. Staying alive is what matters most. Just like your mother said." declares Mikasa, focusing her serious gaze on her adoptive brother.

She took Eren's loaf of bread from Armin. She quickly pushed as much of it as she could into Eren's mouth.

"Mikasa!" proclaims Armin in shock.

"You need to eat and stay alive. I _won't_ let you starve to death."

Tears fell from Eren's eyes.

Nora's gazed drifted to the floor as she nibbled on her loaf. _Stay alive. We have to stay alive if we_ ever _want to see what's behind the walls._

* * *

 _Several days later, the throngs of refugees were tasked with cultivating the wastelands to secure food. However, a food shortage was unavoidable. So, in the following year of 846, the central government sent a multitude of refugees on a mission in the name of retaking Wall Maria. Of the two hundred fifty thousand sent—nearly twenty percent of the population—not even two hundred survived. Although it wasn't much, their sacrifices did improve the food shortage situation for the rest of the population._

* * *

Armin stared at his grandfather's hat in despair. Tears rolled down his eyes as he remembered the day he left to retake the wall. His sobs were nearly silent as his mind replayed his grandfather setting his hat on his head before leaving.

"This is all the Titans' fault. If we could just subdue them, our place in the world could be ours again." says Eren, sliding down the wall to sit by his friend. "Armin. Nora and I have decided to apply for the Cadets next year. We're going to gain the strength to fight the Titans!"

"Me too…" murmurs Armin, his tears stopping.

"Armin?!" asks Eren in surprise as Nora covered her mouth, not believing what she heard.

"I will, too." claims Mikasa, calmly.

"Mikasa… You don't need to! You said yourself staying alive is what's important!"

"Yes. That's why I'm doing it; so _you two_ won't die." she turns to Nora, nodding to her.

Nora nods back, standing. She looks to the boys, seeing determination in their eyes.

"All right. The four of us, then." Eren says.

* * *

 **"** **The 104th Cadet Corps Class entrance ceremony will now begin! You have the misfortune of having me, Keith Shadis, as your commander! I do** ** _not_** **welcome you warmly! In your current state, you'd be nothing but food for the Titans! You're mere livestock! You're** ** _less_** **than livestock! Over the next three years, we're going to train you worthless nothings and teach you how to fight Titans! Three years from now, when you come face-to-face with the Titans, will you be fodder for them?! Will you serve as an honorable barrier that protects the king?! Or will you be a glorious soldier for humanity that drives the Titans out! It's up to** ** _you_** **to decide!"**

Nora glared. _I have to get rid of them! I won't die until they're all gone! Every last one of them! Gone!_


	3. 第３章

**A Dim Light Amid Despair**

 _Humanity's Comeback, Part 1_

* * *

"Hey, you!" exclaims Keith Shadis.

Armin salutes. "Sir!"

"Who the hell are you?!"

"Armin Arlert, from Shiganshina District!"

"I see! That's a ridiculous name! Did your parents give it to you?!"

"My grandfather did, Sir!"

Shadis leaned in closer to Armin, who stared straight ahead, eyes wide. "Arlert! Why are you here?!"

"To help humanity achieve victory!" cried Armin.

"That's wonderful to hear! We can feed you to the Titans!" Shadis put a hand on top of Armin's head. "Third row, about face!" he turned Armin around before walking to another recruit.

The next victim was also a blond-haired man, though his hair was lighter than Armin's was.

"Who the hell are you?!" Shadis repeated.

The man saluted, saying in a slightly happy tone, "Sir! Thomas Wagner, from Trost District!"

"I can't hear you!" Shadis leaned a little closer.

"Thomas Wagner…"

"Can't hear you! Go practice in a barn!"

Shadis was a bald man with tanned skin from being out in the sun with dark circles around his eyes and wrinkles on his forehead. He was tall and, according to other cadets, very intimidating.

Shadis continued his intimidation, walking through the rows of cadets. He slowly walked through Nora's row, his eyes widening slightly when he saw her. He said nothing to her, turning to the man beside her.

This man was one that Nora found a little odd. His hair was two different colors, the top being an ashy-brown color, and the bottom, which he trimmed on the sides and back, was almost black.

"Who the hell are you?!" recited Shadis like a broken record.

"Jean Kirstein, from Trost District!"

"Why are you here?!"

Out of the corner of her eye, Nora saw Jean's eyes widen ever so slightly, a slight smile on his long face. "To join the Military Police Regiment and live in the interior!"

"Oh," says Shadis, "You wanna live in the interior, do you?"

"Yes!"

Shadis stepped closer to Jean, head butting him hard enough to bring Jean to his knees. "Who said you could sit?!" demanded Shadis. "If you can't handle _this_ , you can forget about the Military Police!" Shadis turned to the man on Nora's other side. "Who the hell are you?! Why are you here?!"

This guy had freckles dotting his cheeks, dark hair, and wide eyes.

"Marco Bott of Jinae, on the south side of Wall Rose!" answered Marco with a smile. "I want to join the Military Police Regiment and give life and limb to the king!"

Shadis almost chuckled. "I see. That's a fine goal, indeed. Go ahead and strive for it." He leaned closer to Marco. "But, just so you know… The king doesn't _want_ your lousy life or limbs."

Shadis moved to a different row. "You're next! Who the hell are you?!"

The next victim's salute was backwards. "Connie Springer! I'm from Ragako Village on the south side of Wall Rose!"

Shadis noticed his backwards salute. "You have it backwards, Connie Springer!" He picked the man up by his head. "It was the first thing you were taught! This salute expresses your resolve to give you heart to the people! Is your heart on your right side?!"

Shadis turned his attention to a girl in the line behind Connie. She had a steamed potato in her hands, with small crumbs around her mouth. Shadis dropped Connie.

"Hey, you. What do you think you're doing?" called Shadis. He stepped toward her as she looked around somewhat nervously, taking another bite from her potato. "I'm talking to _you_! Who the hell are you?!"

She swallowed the bite of potato in her mouth, saluting with the potato still in hand. "Sasha Braus from Dauper Village, on the south side of Wall Rose!"

"Sasha Braus… What is that you're holding in your right hand?"

"A steamed potato, Sir! I found one in the cookhouse that was ready to eat, so I couldn't help myself!"

"You _stole_ it? Why? Why did you decide to eat it _now_?" inquired Shadis.

"I felt it would be a waste to let it get cold, so I elected to eat it now," she calmly states.

"No, I don't understand. _Why_ did you eat the potato?"

Sasha donned a bemused expression. "Are you asking me why people eat potatoes, Sir?" After a moment, she broke a piece off the potato, offering it to him. "Here's half of it for you."

Shadis took the bit of potato, staring at her in bewilderment. "Half?"

Sasha gave an awkward smile.

Shadis ended the ceremony, forcing Sasha to run until she dropped without any meals for the rest of the day.

* * *

"Whoa. He _still_ has Potato Girl running," says Connie in astonishment.

"Man, she's been at it for five solid hours. She's really something," comments Eren. "Still, being told to run until she's on the verge of death didn't seem to bother her quite as much as being told she has to skip meals."

"Dauper's a small hunting village in the mountains, isn't it?" wonders Connie, his gaze focusing on Sasha.

Eren turns to answer when something catches his eye. "What's that?"

Mina Carolina answered. "They're dropouts. They asked to work in the fields instead."

"Whoa. It's only the first day, too…" adds Armin in amazement.

"That's how it is. If you can't cut it here, you have to leave," remarked Eren. "I can't believe anyone would _want_ to pick up rocks and pull plants again…"

Marco, who remained silent through most of the conversation, moved off the wooden railing he rested on. "Come to think of it, we haven't heard anything about where you're from."

Eren put a hand on Armin's shoulder. "I'm from Shiganshina, same as him."

"Oh. That means…" Marco trailed off.

Connie rejoined the conversation. "You were there that day, weren't you?"

"H-Hey!" exclaimed Marco, turning to Connie.

"Did you see the Colossal Titan?!" questioned Connie, somewhat excited.

Eren took a step back, becoming slightly uncomfortable. "Y-Yeah…"

* * *

Nora ran a hand through her shoulder-length hair as she joined her fellow recruits for supper. She was tired and her body ached from the workout she and Mikasa just did, and she was in the mood to regain her lost energy.

" _Yes_ , I saw it." she heard Eren murmur.

Her attention went from getting food and cooling off to a large number of people surrounding a table. Curiously, she walked to it, seeing Eren surrounded by their fellow recruits, who were asking him questions about their encounter a few years ago.

Silently, she got food and joined him at their table, seeing Mikasa there as well.

Mikasa changed a bit within the last year. She'd grown taller than Nora was, by fifteen centimeters **[1]** at least, and her hair grew longer, almost reaching past her shoulder blades. Her skin tone was different as well. Rather than the golden-peach skin tone that Nora had, Mikasa had pale skin that contrasted with her dark hair greatly.

"How big is it?!" someone asks.

"Enough to look over the wall," answered Eren.

"What?! I heard it stepped _over_ the wall!" someone else blurted.

"Me too!" a feminine voice agreed.

"That's what they said in my village too!" yells a third voice.

Eren took a bite of his soup. "No, it wasn't that big."

"What did it look like?!" questioned Mina Carolina.

Eren turned to her. "It had a huge mouth, and almost no skin."

"What about the Armored Titan that broke Wall Maria?!"

Eren looked to the man who asked that last question. "That's what people call it, but it looked like an ordinary Titan to me."

"Th-then, what are ordinary Titans like?"

Eren's eyes widened as he paused, dropping his spoon.

Nora bit into her bread with a small frown. "Eren. Calm down," she wanted to say.

She remained silent as she remembered what happened the last time she ordered something of someone. Mentally wincing, she shifted slightly, attempting to dismiss her Master's voice as he screamed insults and curses at her.

Mikasa, who noticed her unusual behavior, forced Nora to turn toward her. She shook her head. "Don't worry, Nora. I won't let _him_ hurt you like that. Ever. Okay? You're safe," she whispered lowly.

Nora slowly nodded as they turned back to Eren, seeing him look as though he might puke.

Marco steps forward. "Let's spare him the questions, everyone. I'm sure there are things he doesn't want to remember."

"Sorry for asking…" Connie began.

"It's not like that!" Eren proclaims, taking a bite of his bread. "Titans aren't actually that big of a deal! Once we've mastered omni-directional mobility gear, they'll be nothing to us! We _finally_ get to train as soldiers. I was just overcome with emotion, that's all. I'm going to join the Scout Regiment and drive the Titans out of this world! I'm gonna slaughter them!"

Nora frowned. Things were never good when Eren got cocky. He didn't think as well as he usually did.

"Whoa, what are you, crazy?" a new voice challenged.

They turned, seeing Jean Kirstein with a smug look on his face. "Did you just say you're gonna join the Scout Regiment?"

"Yeah, that's right." Eren briefly looked back to her. "Her too."

Jean finally noticed the short Asian girl next to Eren. "Who are you?"

Eren answered for her. "Nora Hattori. Aren't you the one who wants to join the Military Police and live the easy life?"

"I'm all about being honest, you see. It's much nicer than being, say, a loser who acts tough but is actually scared shitless."

Eren stood. "Are you talking about me?!"

Marco tried to intervene. "S-stop…"

Jean slowly stood from his seat. "Come on, now. It makes no difference to me."

Eren and Jean stepped toward each other. Jean was taller by about five centimeters **[2]** , but that didn't seem to bother either of them. Nora stepped between them. Despite the fact that both of them towered over her, she wasn't going to let Eren fight someone on the first day and risk being told to leave. Before either of them could say anything else, the large bell outside the building chimed, signaling the end of their meal.

Jean sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I don't mean to dismiss your ideas. Let's be friends," he holds a hand out toward Eren.

"Yeah, I'm sorry, too." Eren slapped his hand, walking away.

Nora followed silently with her hands folded in front of her like a servant. She glanced back to Mikasa, hoping she would accompany them. She gave a subtle nod to Nora, walking after them.

Mikasa caught up with them, asking Eren if he was all right.

"It's no big deal," Eren says. "Get off my back."

"You never think things through when you get worked up." Mikasa reminds him before turning to Nora. "You don't either, Nora."

"That again? Anyway, don't you think your hair's too long? It could cause an accident during ODM training, you know."

Mikasa turned back to Eren, picking up a strand of black hair. "All right. I'll cut it. But how short should I make it?"

Eren thought for a moment. "I don't know. Why not have Nora or Armin cut it?"

Mikasa nodded, looking down to the silent girl, who nodded back, gesturing to her own hair.

They moved away from Eren, going to the girls' dorm. They stepped inside, seeing bunk beds and several other girls whose names Nora didn't catch during the opening ceremony.

They moved to the bathroom, grabbing scissors as they did. Nora stood behind Mikasa, staring at the scissors in her hand. _I'll have to flip these around to use them._ She turned them until they fit into her left hand comfortably.

Picking up a strand of Mikasa's hair, she brought the scissor blades to it, cutting the piece. She continued until her hair was chin-length. _That shouldn't be able to get in the way._ They switched places, Mikasa cutting Nora's hair to the same length as her own.

When she was done, Nora stood, looking to the pile of hair on the floor. Mentally sighing, she swept it into a pile and threw it away. They left the bathroom in time to see Sasha carried in by a short, blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl and another girl who was tall with long brown hair and tan skin.

When everyone settled, the girls showered and got ready for bed, knowing they had to get up early for their aptitude tests the next day.

* * *

Mikasa was one of the first girls awake the next morning. She ran a hand through her hair before looking to the bed above hers where Nora slept. Her hair was in tangles from the tossing and turning she did throughout the night.

It was always something she had trouble doing. Sleeping wasn't Nora's strong suit. She often lay at night for hours with nothing but her thoughts to keep her, not growing tired in the slightest.

Mikasa gently shook her awake, hearing her groan and roll over, hugging her pillow. "Nora, wake up," she commanded in an authoritative tone.

The peach-skinned girl steadily opened her eyes, seeing Mikasa standing beside her bed. She sat up slowly, stretching her arms and legs before slowly lowering herself onto the floor, ignoring how cold it was.

"We need to get ready," Mikasa says as Nora got to her knees, reaching under their beds and pulling out their uniforms.

She pulled off her shirt, earning an almost silent gasp from Mikasa as she saw her back.

"Nora, what happened to your back? There are scars all over it."

Nora shrugged before murmuring, "My… Masters… did that…" she pulled her shirt over her head, effectively moving her bangs to poke her left eye. Mikasa accidentally cut them a little too short, and now she relied on the her clip to keep her bangs in control.

They finished getting dressed in silence before walking to the training yard with the other cadets. Mikasa walked a pace in front of Nora, looking for Eren and Armin. When she spotted them, she glanced back at Nora, who walked with her hands folded at her hips in front of her, reminding Mikasa of a maid.

She turned, slowly refocusing on Armin and Eren. They fell into a line as Keith Shadis emerged a moment later from the faculty building.

He folded his hands behind his back as a short girl with white hair followed him. Her leg was in plaster, broken no doubt, and she walked with a crutch. Her skin was extremely pale, almost matching her hair in color.

Shadis stopped in front of the tripod where the wires for the omni-directional gear were set up. "We'll begin by determining your aptitude! If you can't do this, you're not even fit enough to be bait! You'll be sent off to the fields!" he bellowed before turning to the girl next to him. "This is Captain Giles. She'll be helping to monitor your usage of the 3D maneuvering gear."

The albino female nodded with a salute.

Shadis ordered them into groups as he and Captain Giles, a member of the Survey Corps, walked by, monitoring them.

They walked by Mikasa first. "Completely steady. She knows exactly what to do and how to do it," Captain Giles says with a curt nod. "That's what aptitude is all about."

When they got to Nora, Captain Giles stopped for a moment. "Who is she?"

Shadis turned his attention from the other promising cadets to the oriental girl. "Cadet Nora Hattori. Why?"

Captain Giles nodded. "She's doing incredibly well. As well as the Ackerman girl, I'd say."

She looked down the line, agreeing with Shadis and moving on. When they arrived at Eren, they stopped again. Inside of hanging upright, like other cadets, he was upside down, his hands nearly reaching the dirt below.

"Cadet, is it that fucking hard to balance?" she inquired in a slightly irritated tone.

Shadis kneeled beside Eren. "What are you doing, Eren Yeager?! Straighten yourself up!"

Nora glared at the other cadets as they snickered at Eren's pose. She clenched her fists, biting her tongue. _Don't say anything. Don't yell at them. He wouldn't want that._

* * *

Eren refused to give up. He wouldn't stop until he was able to use the omni-directional gear with little effort like Nora or Mikasa.

"Just follow the basics and you'll be able to do it," Mikasa reassured him. "Don't think about being fancy or anything. Focus on your front and back balance, then slowly place your weight into the belts on your waist and feet."

"You can do it if you stay calm. Even I did it, after all," Armin adds.

He saw Nora nod with a small encouraging smile from her place in front of Mikasa. She wanted to make sure he didn't fall on his head… again.

Eren returned his attention to Armin. "All right. I feel like I've got it this time. Lift me up, Armin."

Armin nodded, cranking the handle to lift him. Eren felt the wires lifting as he slowly left the ground, managing to stay airborne for a moment before falling forward, onto Nora's chest.

A blush rose to his face even though he continued to fall. She gasped as they landed, half his weight crushing her lithe frame.

Mikasa and Armin quickly moved to help them, pulling Eren off Nora before getting him unhooked. Mikasa checked Nora's chest, seeing a slight bruise forming where Eren's head had been. She threw him a slight glare before leading her back to their room to bandage her up.

* * *

Eren felt guilty for hurting Nora, even though it was an accident. He really thought he was going to get it, and then he hurt her. He apologized repeatedly for it, each time with Nora waving it off, signaling she was fine.

Eren knew she was lying. He could hear her gasping for breath as they sat down to eat dinner.

He did his best to ignore the other cadets as they murmured about him and his failure earlier.

"Eren!" Mikasa called, gaining his attention.

He lost his despaired look as her hand squeezed his shoulder. He glared at his food, risking a glance to Nora, who sat beside him, picking at her soup.

"There's no point in worrying about it," Armin tells him. "You can learn to do it tomorrow."

"I'm pathetic…" Eren whispered. "There's no way I can wipe them out like this…"

"You should just forget about that altogether." Mikasa suggests, watching as Nora gave her bread to Sasha.

The boys turned to her, astounded.

"What?!" Eren's voice was slightly louder now.

Mikasa's expression didn't change, remaining neutral. "I'm saying you should give up trying to be a soldier. Fighting isn't about simply throwing your life away."

Nora looked between them, her body tensing.

"Hey, now! I saw what happened that day! Do you really think you can just convince me to quit?!"

"Still, it doesn't matter _how_ determined you are."

"Huh? Why not?!" Eren was yelling now.

Mikasa finally looked at him, her voice still monotone. "Because _you_ don't get to decide if you're fit to be a soldier or not."

The bell sounded, signaling the end of dinner. The other cadets steadily left, clamoring out the door and to their rooms.

Nora stayed, patiently waiting to see what else Mikasa had on her mind.

"I'm not saying you should go to the fields by yourself. You don't need to worry. Because when you go, I'll go with you." She turned to where Eren sat, seeing Sasha in his place and the rest of the cadets, other than Nora, gone.

Sasha shifted, slightly uncomfortable. "So, umm… What you're saying is… that I can have that?" she questioned, pointing to Mikasa's piece of bread.

Mikasa picked up her bread, breaking a bit off, handing it to Nora, before eating her piece, leaving Sasha alone as they left.

* * *

Nora watched as Eren steadily left the ground, the wires lifting him, with silent hope in her eyes that he wouldn't fall. Her bruise was hurting more so today than yesterday.

Captain Giles and Shadis stood in front of him, the early morning sun beating down on their heads. "Eren Yeager," Shadis calls, "Are you ready?"

Eren nodded. "Yes, sir!"

"Begin!"

As the wires pulled Eren up, Nora couldn't help but feel a little uneasy. _I really don't want him to fall. Eren, please, show them you can get this right!_

He was about twelve centimeters **[3]** off the ground now, staying in place. Her eyes widened. _Don't change a thing. Just float. C'mon, Eren, I know you can do it!_

Cheers erupted around them from fellow cadets as Eren put his arms out, keeping himself steady.

Nora unknowingly grinned, getting over her shock. _I knew you could do it!_

The cheers, however, were short-lived as Eren fell back, landing on his forearm.

"N-Not yet! I can still do it!" he gasped.

"Let him down," Shadis commands.

Eren fell on his hands and knees, still hooked up to the tripod. "I-I'm…"

Shadis crossed his arms behind his back, glancing back at Captain Giles. "Wagner. Switch belts with Yeager."

Thomas straightened up. "Y-Yes, sir!"

They switched belts and lifted Eren again. This time, he hung with no problems.

"Your equipment was defective. The belt you were using had a broken clasp. I've never heard of this part breaking before; I guess we'll have to add it to the maintenance checklist." Captain Giles announces.

The cadets whispered about his success with broken equipment.

"Th-Then, am I fit to be a soldier?!" Eren wondered.

"You pass muster. Train hard!" Shadis demanded.

Nora turned back to Mikasa and Armin, seeing them as shocked as everyone else felt.

"His eyes say, 'What do you think of that!?'" Armin nods.

"No," Mikasa disagreed, nodding to Nora, "He feels relieved that he doesn't have to leave her now."

Reiner, Bertolt, and Armin gave her looks of astonishment before seeing Eren and Nora were staring at each other, a grin on Eren's face, and joy in Nora's eyes.

Mikasa smiled. _He doesn't have to leave her. He can help me protect her now._

* * *

 **[A/N]** I hope you enjoyed the third chapter even though it took longer to make than the other two. I got busy with bringing up my Algebra II grade and couldn't write as much as I would've liked…

Anyways, if any of you are fellow Americans, whom don't use centimeters and kilos regularly, then welcome to the club! I have the "American version" of those below. 2.54 centimeters is 1 inch, okay.

 **[1]** Fifteen (15) centimeters is equivalent to about seven (7) inches.

 **[2]** Five (5) centimeters is equivalent to about two (2) inches.

 **[3]** Twelve (12) centimeters is equivalent to about four (4) inches.

I would like to add that Captain Giles (Seraphine Giles) is not my character. She belongs to my lovely 妹さん (younger sister).


	4. 第４章

**Night of the Detachment Ceremony**

 _Humanity's Comeback, Part 2_

* * *

 _Two years after joining the Cadets…_

"Pick up the pace! Run, you lead-footed laggards!" Shadis bellowed. He noticed Armin struggling to keep up with the rest of the cadets. "What's the matter, Arlert?! You're dragging your feet!" Shadis lead his horse back to Armin. "Too heavy for you?! Maybe you'd prefer I let you drop your gear?!"

Armin didn't reply as he continued running, panting for air.

"If this were a real mission, you'd be Titan food by now!" Shadis left him behind, moving back to the rest of the cadets.

Shadis watched as Reiner Braun fell back, taking Armin's gear. _Reiner Braun… Stalwart in both mind and body, and well respected by his comrades._ His attention turned to Armin. _Armin Arlert… Although lacking in physical strength, his aptitude in the classroom is extraordinary._

* * *

The cadets swiftly flew through the air, slashing at Titan cutouts, knowing Shadis was grading them on their Titan fighting skills, as well as their use of their gear.

Shadis kept his eyes trained on them. _Annie Leonhart. Her slice attacks are absolutely flawless, but her reclusive tendencies make her a poor fit for coordinated efforts._ He turned to Bertolt. _Bertolt Hoover. He possesses remarkable potential, but lacks aggressiveness._

 _Jean Kirstein. Top-class Omni-directional mobility. But his volatile personality tends to cause friction with others._

Shadis watched as Sasha and Connie followed Jean, beating him to the nearest Titan, Sasha cutting it before the other two could even reach it. _Sasha Braus. She has unconventionally good intuition, but also demonstrated poor teamwork as a result._ His eyes wondered to Connie. _Connie Springer. He excels at executing quick turns, but is also a bit dim-witted._

Mikasa, Eren, and Nora flew in close proximity to each other, Nora and Mikasa cutting Titan cutouts as fast as they appeared. Shadis watched them leave Eren in the dust. _Mikasa Ackerman. Completely proficient in every area. It's apt to say she's an almost unmatched, unprecedented genius. Nora Hattori. Servant by nature. Loyal to a fault. All in all, an extremely well-rounded soldier, when her temper is under control._

His eyes shifted to Eren. _Eren Yeager. He has no real specialties, but he's improved his grades with his unparalleled effort. And he possesses twice the sense of purpose than anyone else._

Shadis nodded to himself. The Training Corps had many good soldiers this year. He ended their training exercise, telling them to train in hand-to-hand combat. The cadets saluted, taking off their 3D Maneuvering Gear and moving to the main part of the training ground.

* * *

Eren, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration, was waiting for Reiner, his current sparring partner, to make his move. When he did, Eren was quick to throw him onto the ground, earning a grunt from the man.

"Sorry. I'm not good at holding back," Eren said, offering his hand to Reiner.

Reiner, who towered over him, allowed Eren to pull him off the ground. "Now it's your turn to be the rogue." He held the wooden dagger out for Eren to take. When he didn't, Reiner asked, "What's the matter?"

Eren took the dagger. "I don't get this training. Why would soldiers fight other people? Only an idiot would take on a target barehanded." In his mind's eye, he saw a younger version of himself saving Mikasa and Nora. He shook off the memory.

"That's irresponsible thinking," Reiner tells him, earning Eren's attention. "We're soldiers. There are times we can't run away, no matter how bad the situation is. No matter what the enemy is, we have to be ready for it, whether it means using cannons or combat techniques. I believe that's the responsibility of a strong soldier." Reiner turned to some of the other recruits. "Anyway, look there."

Eren looked to where Reiner pointed, seeing Annie Leonhart avoiding their combat training. "Oh, that's Annie. She's slacking off without the commandant noticing again."

Reiner leaned down to him. "All right, Eren. That slouch needs a talking-to. Let's teach how a soldier's _supposed_ to act."

Eren looked up at Reiner. "Huh?" he asked.

Reiner left him, stopping Annie in her tracks. "Not fond of the commandant's head-butts?" Reiner asked, looking down at her. "If you don't wanna end up any shorter, think back to when you first came here and start taking things seriously." Reiner smirked.

Eren stepped in. "Hey, why are you being so rude?" He looked to Annie's face. _Man, she's mad. I thought she looked scary enough as it is, but that's nothing compared to when she's pissed._

Reiner put his hands on Eren's shoulders. "All right! Get started, Eren!" he exclaimed.

Eren, being pushed by Reiner, looked back to the tall man. "Me?!"

Annie got into her fighting stance. It was unlike any that Eren had ever seen, catching him off guard for a moment. He steeled himself. "You know the drill, right, Annie?" he questioned, charging at her, dagger in hand. "Here I come!"

When he got close enough, Annie kicked him in the shin, earning a pain-filled grunt from him as he fell to his knees. "Wh-What the…" he wondered aloud. "She kicked my leg?" He tried to stand, falling back to the ground on his butt.

Annie turned to Reiner. "Can I go now?" She sounded bored.

"No! The drill's not over until you take the dagger!" Reiner declares.

Letting out an irritated sigh, Annie turned back to Eren. He managed to stand. "Wait, Annie!" He called, holding the dagger in front of him. "You're supposed to do this a certain way!"

She didn't seem to care as she easily flipped him onto his shoulders, his legs over his head. She tossed the wooden dagger to Reiner, who caught it with ease. "There," she moved her bangs away from her eyes. "Now it's _your_ turn to attack me."

Reiner looked from the dagger to her. "N-No… I'm not…"

Before he could finish his sentence, Eren spoke up, still in the position that Annie put him in a moment ago, a glare on his face. "Do it, Reiner. I thought you wanted to teach her about a soldier's responsibility?"

Reiner nodded. "Yeah. Sometimes a soldier _can't_ back down. This is one of those times!"

Annie flipped him over her shoulder, causing him to land next to Eren in the same position.

Eren, who was now on his feet, turned from Reiner's bulky frame to Annie slender one, "That's an amazing technique," he commented. "Who did you learn it from?"

She moved her bangs again, not facing him. She looked to the other cadets as she answered, "My father."

"Your _dad_ came up with that move?"

Annie faced him. "What does it matter? There's no point to any of this."

Eren, who was still on his knees, looked up to her, a slightly confused and shocked expression on his face. "You mean this training?"

Annie turned back to the other cadets. "We aren't graded on our hand-to-hand combat skills. Most people brush it off, like them," she says, nodding to Jean and one other cadet that Eren didn't know the name of. "Because only the top ten cadets are allowed to join the Military Police and serve in the interior. The only ones who take it seriously are naïve idiots like you, or just ordinary idiots."

They watched as Shadis punished Connie, who was training with Sasha.

"Crap! The commandant!" Eren exclaimed.

Annie thrusted the dagger to him, barely giving any time to block it with his fist. "For some reason, in this world, the better you are at fighting Titans the further you can get from them," she murmurs. "How do you think this farce came about?"

Eren glared at her, causing her to back off. "I don't know… That's a good question!" He grabbed her wrist attempting to take the dagger from her.

Annie quickly flipped him onto his back, straddling his torso while pointing the dagger toward his Adam's Apple. "Maybe because it's human nature?" She got off of Eren, looking down at him. "Anyway, I refuse to be stupid enough to play 'Soldier' in this inane world." She turned away, walking off.

"Looks like you're not much of a warrior at all," Reiner comments, watching her go.

Eren looked around the field, seeing Nora's petite yet muscular frame sparring with a frightened Mina Carolina. In the past two years, she gained almost as much muscle as Mikasa, though she hadn't grown taller by even a millimeter. Her bangs were long enough now that they completely covered her left eye. She slowly stopped using the navy clip he'd given her, deciding to only use for missions or other important tasks.

Eren stared at her. _We were so caught up in getting stronger that neither of us realized it. It's such a clever contradiction… They're honing their Titan-killing skills just to get_ away _from the Titans!_

* * *

Nora slowly ate her soup, ignoring the conversations around her. Within the past two—almost three—years, most of the cadets knew her as 'The Beast of the 104th' due to her temper and increased strength. She smiled as she remembered Reiner's first complaint when he chose to spar with her.

Reiner was lying sprawled on his back, glaring at her with his golden eyes. "Where the hell did _that_ come from? You fight like a wild animal—a beast!"

Everyone who heard the complaint turned to see who it was that he was talking about. She remembered hearing whispers and many hushed voices talking about her, and about how she threw Reiner, a man who was a full thirty one centimeters **[1]** taller than her, onto the ground, managing to take the dagger from him and press it against his throat.

Nora smiled, unable to stop herself, at the memory. It quickly faded as she recalled other events throughout the year. After the first month or so of training, and the recruits finding out about her 'servant-like' attitude, they dumped chores on her. Nora never complained, doing them to tire herself out. Even with all the extra work she did, her sleeping habits remained as bad as ever.

She still didn't get more than about three to four hours of sleep. When Mikasa and Eren noticed, they started staying closer to her, guarding her and keeping the others away. When they couldn't for whatever reason, Armin stood in, speaking up and telling to do their own chores a lot more peacefully than Eren or Mikasa did.

Nora glanced around, seeing Jean bragging about his 'top-class' usage of their gear to one of the other cadets. She rolled her eyes. Jean Kirstein was at the top of her list when it came to arrogance. He thought himself strong, even though he wasn't. Although, she had to admit that one day he would make a fine leader… if he lived long enough for something like that to happen.

She turned her attention to Eren, who was glaring at Jean, just as he usually did.

"It's comfy in the interior?" asked Eren, interrupting what Marco and Jean were talking about. "Until five years ago, _this_ used to be the interior too."

Jean turned toward him. "What's your point, Eren?"

Eren set down his mug. "Jean. You don't need to go to the interior. I'd say your head is nice and spacious enough as it is."

Chuckles erupted from a few cadets as the room quieted. Nora put down her spoon, rubbing at her eyes, breathing deeply. _Please, Eren, don't start something you can't finish._

"You little…" Jean glared at Eren.

Eren glanced to Nora before returning to glare at Jean. "Honing your Titan-killing skills to get _away_ from the Titans… Doesn't that seem like a weird system to you?"

"You only say that _now_?" Jean questioned. "I _want_ that stupid system to stay in place, for my sake."

Eren let out a sound of anger and irritation before jumping to his feet. Nora stood as well, feeling the need to silently break up the fighting should any occur.

"You piece of scum!" Eren bellowed.

Jean stood. "Shut up! This is the real world!"

They approached each other as Armin called out, "Eren! Quit it!"

Nora looked up at them, placing hands on their shoulders, silently pleading them to stop.

Mikasa stood, helping her. "Stop that," she says as Eren grabbed Jean's shirt. She removed his hand, placing it in Nora's, watching as his face gained a red tint.

Jean grabbed Eren's shirt collar. "Screw you!"

Eren pulled Nora behind him, keeping her away from Jean. "Huh?! Let go! You're gonna rip it and hurt her!"

"I don't give a damn about your clothes! I'm jealous!"

"Huh?! What are you talking about?!"

Eren suddenly froze, realizing every eye in the room was on them. Nora took the chance to strike at Jean, punching him in the gut. Eren unfroze, using a move Nora saw use Annie on him earlier. Jean was on his back holding his stomach.

He sat back up, looking up at them. "What the hell was that?!"

Eren's eyebrows furrowed. "A combat technique I learned the hard way while _you_ were screwing around. A carefree, capricious life is your idea of the real world? And you honestly call yourself a soldier?!"

The door squeaked open, revealing half of Shadis' face. "I heard a loud sound just now… Would anyone care to explain?"

Jean, Eren, and Nora sat down as Mikasa raised her hand. "It was Sasha. She passed gas."

Reiner and a few others chortled.

" _You_ again? Learn some decency, will you?!" Shadis left the recruits alone.

Sasha pestered Mikasa about using her as an excuse before Mikasa shoved bread into the brunette's mouth.

* * *

Before Nora really even knew what was happening, two months passed on. It was time for graduation. Time to see who the top ten cadets in the 104th were. Time to join the Survey Corps.

"Give your hearts!" Shadis yelled at their graduation ceremony.

"Yes, sir!" Everyone saluted.

"You have three options after you graduate from the Cadets today! The Garrison Regiment, which reinforces the walls and protects each city! The Scout Regiment, which risks life and limb to venture into Titan territory outside the walls! And the Military Police Regiment, which serves under the king by policing the people and preserving order! Of course, the only ones allowed to join the Military Police are the top ten who were previously named!"

 _1\. Mikasa Ackerman_

 _2\. Nora Hattori_

 _3\. Reiner Braun_

 _4\. Bertolt Hoover_

 _5\. Annie Leonhart_

 _6\. Eren Yeager_

 _7\. Jean Kirstein_

 _8\. Marco Bott_

 _9\. Connie Springer_

 _10\. Sasha Braus_

* * *

Nora watched as her soldiers celebrated the fact that they made it through training. Smiles filled the room as she stood off the side, away from everyone. The mess they were making bugged her. Her inner maid was telling her to clean the tables and serve the cadets.

A warm hand landed on her shoulder, making her flinch slightly. It was Eren. He was with Armin and Mikasa. Thomas Wagner and Samuel Linke-Jackson stepped toward them.

"Are you two seriously not gonna join the Military Police Regiment?" He asked.

"Even after both of you got into the top ten and all?" Samuel added.

Eren put a hand on her waist, earning a blush from Nora. "Our minds were set from the very start. We didn't train all this time to live in the interior. We did it to fight Titans."

Thomas stared at them with wide light brown eyes. "We can't beat them!" He shouted.

The room went silent as every head in the room turned to them, wondering what was going on.

Thomas looked to the different people before casting his gaze to the floor. "You know how many tens of thousands of people have been eaten so far… The answer was clear when we lost twenty percent of our population. Humanity _can't_ beat the Titans."

Nora looked to Eren, wondering how he would respond. After a moment, his arm tightened around her waist, pulling her slightly closer. "So? You're gonna give up because you think we can't win?!"

"Well…" Thomas started.

Eren continued. "Yes, humanity _has_ lost so far. That's because we were clueless about the Titans! Material warfare is useless against them. We lost, but the information we gained in battle will lead to further hope! Are we just going to throw away all the advances in fighting techniques that cost us tens of thousands of lives so we can be Titan fodder?! The hell with that!" he clenched his other hand into a fist. "I'm going to drive out every last Titan and leave these cramped walls! That's my dream! Humanity hasn't _truly_ been defeated yet!" His eyes welling up with tears, he left the room, bringing Nora with him.

"Wait, Eren!" Armin called as he and Mikasa joined them.

Nora wiped Eren's tears away with her small hand, earning a sad smile from him. "You don't need to do that, y'know."

She nodded, a small smile on her face. Mikasa and Armin caught up with them.

"Eren," Armin says, "That stuff about your dream just now... "

They sat down on a set of stairs. "Yeah," Eren looked down to Armin, who sat a few steps below him, "I borrowed those ideas of yours about going outside instead of staying inside."

Armin looked toward the darkness in front of them. "I'm going to join the Scout Regiment!" He exclaims, earning a surprised gasp from Eren.

"Are you serious, Armin?! You were the top in classroom studies! You should put that to use!" Eren says.

"I _won't_ be a burden. Even if it costs me my life," Armin replies.

Mikasa spoke up. "I'll join the Scouts too."

Eren and Nora turned to her. "Hey! You graduated at the top of the class! You should join the Military Police!"

Mikasa looked to Nora. "If you two join the Military Police, then I will too. If you two join the Garrison Regiment, then I will too. Because you'll both die an early death unless I'm around."

Nora met her gaze, knowing full well that what she said was probably true. Ever since the human traffickers who wanted to re-sell her and sell Mikasa had bought her, she'd been dependent on someone to save her. Eren saved them both that night. Mikasa saved her from the mental torture of all of her different masters' voices as they all screamed and yelled at her. Armin helped her get out of her 'servant-like' attitude.

 _I'm too dependent on people. Someone always has to come save me… Why? Why am I still like this, even after six years? I should be able to take care of myself, dammit!_

"I don't want to lose any more of my family," Mikasa adds, bringing Nora out of her thoughts.

Nora felt Eren gasp at Mikasa's revelation. She turned her gaze to the dark night sky, listening to the sconce on the wall about a meter from them as the fire on it crackled softly.

* * *

"It's here! The main unit of the Scout Regiment!" a citizen shouted in joy.

"Commander Erwin! Give those Titans a real thrashing!" called someone else.

"Look! It's Captain Levi! And Captain Seraphine!"

"They say he's as mighty as an entire brigade! And, she's humanity's fastest soldier!"

"This is nothing like five years ago! People actually feel hopeful about the Scout members!" Eren happily exclaims.

Hannah Diamant, one of their fellow recruits, joined in. "Yeah, everyone's cheered up since then. Nothing's happened in five years."

Franz Kefka, who Nora swore was Hannah's boyfriend as well as a fellow cadet, added, "They've upgraded the mounted cannons too. I doubt the Colossal Titan will show up anymore."

"Yeah!" Hannah agreed.

Nora looked back to Eren, who looked a bit disturbed and angry by their optimism. "That's a load of crap, you idiotic couple!" he uttered.

Hannah looked away from him, waving her hand. "Wh-What? _Us_ , a _married_ couple?"

Franz, who had a very flushed face, put a hand in front of his mouth, "You're getting ahead of yourself, Eren!"

Nora calmed Eren down just in time to pick up on a familiar voice. Hannes. She turned to him, a smile adorning her face.

"Mr. Hannes!" Eren says.

Hannes stepped toward them, followed by another member of the Garrison. Unlike last time they'd seen him, he wasn't drunk off his ass. "Heard you graduated yesterday. Man, you brats have really matured."

Eren smiled. "You too, Mr. Hannes! You used to be a drunk, but now you're chief of the Corps of Engineers."

Hannes poked Eren's forehead, right between his eyes. "Oh, you!" His smile disappeared a sorrowful expression taking its place. "I'm sorry I couldn't save your mom."

Eren sobered. "It wasn't your fault." He says, earning a small gasp from Hannes. "We're not ignorant anymore. We won't let another tragedy like that happen. We _will_ defeat the Titans!" Eren ran away, leaving them behind.

Nora followed him like a puppy, just as she usually did. Nora and Eren had wall duty, while Mikasa and Armin were to watch over the citizens of Trost.

* * *

Nora looked to Connie, a shocked expression on her face.

"Huh?!" Eren questioned, vocalizing both of their thoughts. "You're joining the Scouts?! Connie, you were so set on the Military Police!"

Connie, who was adjusting a cannon, swiftly replied, "Yeah, I was! But…"

Mina stepped in. "Sounds like your speech yesterday won him over!" She smiled as Connie yelled at her, telling her to mind her own business.

"Don't be so embarrassed," a new voice called. Thomas. "You're not the only one," he said as he walked to them.

"Thomas… You don't mean?" Eren was dumbfounded.

Sasha walked over to them, a sheepish blush on her cheeks and a smile on her face. "Umm, everyone? I brought some meat from the officers' storehouse!"

Gasps erupted from the soldiers as Nora tried her best to get back to work. _How did I manage to get so distracted? We should be working on the cannons and making sure that they work properly!_

"Sasha!" Eren exclaimed. "Do you _want_ to end up in solitary confinement?!"

"You really _are_ crazy!" Samuel declares in astonishment.

"So much it's scary…" Connie adds.

Sasha was drooling now. "We can all share it later… All sliced up, and between some bread…" she laughed manically.

Nora heard several people tell Sasha to put the meat back, before hearing them change their minds, saying they'd take Sasha up on the offer. They soon got back to work, working quickly to get to the meat and lunchtime faster.

Eren moved to help Nora with a cannon as a sudden piercingly loud explosive sound invaded their eardrums. Eren quickly grabbed her, pulling Nora off the wall as steam forced him away. She activated her gear, shooting the hooks into the wall, her feet helping her stop.

She glared at the steam before shooting off, getting higher on the wall. Eren followed her, shouting, "The target is dead ahead! The target is the Colossal Titan, dead ahead! This is our chance! _Don't_ let it get away!"

He changed directions, going the opposite way of Nora. She heard him land on the wall, saying, "Hey there… It's been five years since we met…"

* * *

 **[1]** Thirty one (31) centimeters is equivalent to a little more than twelve (12) inches _—_ a foot, basically.


	5. Note

Okay, so, I've read the _Attack on Titan_ manga, and was wondering how you guys would feel if I made a version that followed it. Nora would still be in it and so would the OC I have for Mikasa. I'm asking to avoid finishing the anime with chapter 25, and then forcing you guys to wait until next year for season two to come out. If I write one for the manga, I can keep going, and given how long it takes me to produce a singular chapter, you won't have to wait very long should we get caught up with the manga.

I feel really bad that you probably thought this was an update, but I felt the need to ask it now. Also... I may or may not have lost all I wrote (on paper; I didn't have the chance to type it up) for chapter 5... I'll try to find it, and get the new chapter soon! Anyways, please share your thoughts on this idea. I love you guys! Thanks for the support!


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